


The Coffin

by livinginthetheater



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Brotherly Fluff, Dustin Henderson can't catch a break, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, No Romance, Police Officer Steve Harrington, Protective Steve Harrington, Why is this brotherly relationship so underappreciated?, and i want brotherly fluff mixed in with angst, but a writer's got to write, i'm sorry for making my children go through this, sadness but cuteness all around, sorry to disappoint you all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-04 13:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14020974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livinginthetheater/pseuds/livinginthetheater
Summary: A cute but sad take on the summer following ST2 where Steve and Dustin are cute brother-like people like they should be but of cpurse since it's ST, stuff goes wrong... includes an OC as Dustin's father





	1. Chapter 1

Steve really thought that after everything with the demo-dogs and the portal, that his life would be peaceful again. He wouldn’t have to answer to snot-nosed kids or supernatural beings from alternate universes, though the former could be considered the latter. And he tried. He really did. He healed at home, working on college shit and sleeping to hurry along the healing process, but it seemed to be taking too long. Everytime he looked in the mirror and saw the bruises he saw Billy Hargrove sneering at him, hurting him, hurting the kids.

Steve tried. Honest-to-God he did. He tried to block out all that happened and cut ties with those eighth graders. But he couldn’t. And he really shouldn't have even tried. The first day he learned this fact was when he had a ring at his door. His parents were at a conference in Louisiana, thank god, so he didn’t have to worry about how confused they would be to open the door to a short little curly-haired eighth grade boy.

Steve sighed. “Dustin, what the fuck are you doing at my house?” He inquired bluntly. He didn’t have to worry about censoring himself or his attitude around these kids They’d been to hell and back and he was only really helping them once, so he knew they could handle him being his normal stand-offish self.

“Nice to see you too asshole.” Dustin scoffed, not seeming the least bit embarrassed that he was at Steve Harrington’s doorstep, unannounced and uninvited. Before Steve could yell back a retort, Dustin revealed what he had in his hands that Steve didn’t pay much attention to before. “Relax, I just brought your spiky bat thing. You left it at Will’s house when you left. Why’d you leave so fast anyway?” While saying the last sentence, he shoved the weapon in Steve’s hands.

“None of your business Henderson.” And almost unknowingly, he slammed the door in his face. Once the door slammed shut, Steve winced, realizing what he did. Wow, great going Harrington. Make the kid hate you! He stopped his train of thought. What was he doing? He shouldn’t care! He never wanted to see those mini-brats ever again! Right?

Yet his guilt persisted through the rest of the evening. Maybe if it had been one of the other kids he could have slammed the door with no remorse. But Dustin? He sort of wanted Dustin to like him, as hard as it was for him to admit. He cared about Dustin, the little shit. Every memory that he had from that event with closing the Gate had something to do with Dustin. First it was the kid practically stealing his car (at least, that’s how Steve saw it) then it was in the trailer with those vile creatures attacking them. Most vividly were the events that followed, after Billy Hargrove kicked his ass. Waking up in a car full of children, Dustin sitting next to him reassuring him. When he had his panic attack as the kids were gearing up to go down into those tunnels and Dustin spoke calming and yet commanding words that convinced Steve to help them again. He still remembered the subtle amazement he felt as the kid reconnected with Dart and somehow managed to win his affections enough to let them pass. But the strangest thing was, the memory that haunts him the most was when he and Dustin were the only ones who hadn’t climbed up the rope yet. He could still feel Dustin’s rushed breaths as Steve held him close to himself in an attempt to protect him. His fear was less about himself being eaten by those foul things and more about how he would feel if they even laid a single claw on Dustin. In that moment, Steve saw a kid - a damn brave one - and made a choice to be protective.

Goddamn it Steve. How’d you get so attached? He’s just a kid. They’re all just a bunch of annoying little shitheads. Especially Dustin!

But inside he really knew that had he been in that situation again, he would protect Dustin, every single time.

The second time Steve knew he’d never be rid of these kids was the next day. He had fallen asleep on his couch and had one arm dangling off the side. He had finally fallen asleep, but he had been plagued by nightmares of demo-dogs, probably karma for being a dick the day before.

He woke up in a sweat, almost dizzy and still disoriented from the dreams. He shook his head and went upstairs for a shower. After thirty minutes in the shower, and thirty on his hair, he slunked back down the stairs and went into the kitchen. It was still fair game to make eggs, though late enough that he would call it brunch. Steve was a very good cook, it was something to fill his time. He made three omelettes, but realized too late that he probably couldn’t eat more than one.

Like magic, his doorbell rang again. Steve got up and walked towards it, confused as to who would be visiting. Girl Scouts? Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Nevermind. Dustin Henderson. Again.

“Dustin…?” Steve said, wincing at the sunlight. He didn’t come off nearly as mean or heartless as he did previously

“Hello Steve- is that food I smell?” The young boy pushed past him with no care to the fact that Steve did not ask him in. Steve just sighed and closed the door behind him, gently this time.

The boy looked greedily at the freshly made omelettes, but then stopped and turned to Steve in confusion. “It’s almost noon. What’s with the breakfast?”

“Brunch.” Steve corrected, the correction sort of answering Dustin’ question. Steve looked at Dustin who couldn’t take his eyes off of his food. “Do you want one?’

Most kids would at first be polite and reject the offer of food and then take it once they were “pressured” to do so. Dustin was not like most kids though, as he snatched a spare plate that was on the counter, plopped an omelette on it, and sat down on a stool across from Steve. He wolfed it down as though he’d never eaten before. Steve let out a chuckle. “Hungry?”

Dustin shyly wiped away food from around his mouth and it was obvious his face was a little red. “Sorry.”

Steve rolled his eyes in order to cover the fondness that was shining in them. “So…”

“So?”

“Why are you here?”

“Oh!” Dustin exclaimed, suddenly realizing how odd this all must seem to Steve. “I guess I was just bored, because Mike’s at the cabin with El, and Lucas is at a dentist appointment.” He continued to go on, not even really paying too much attention to Steve. “Max can’t get out of the house because both of her parents have the day off, and Will and Jonathan are spending the day together.”

Needless to say, Steve was still confused. “So, you came to my house?”

Dustin nodded nonchalantly, as if coming to Steve made the most sense. “Well duh. I’m here aren’t I?” Dustin finished his omelette. “Listen. I know you’d rather spend the day with anyone else, but…” the kid trailed off. Steve looked at him quizzically, and Dustin shrugged. “I don’t actually have an end to that. I just know you’d rather spend the day with anyone else. That’s it. I’m here anyway.”

Steve had to give the kid credit. He had the balls to go to a random person’s house and just say “we’re hanging out now”. Steve would never be able to do that. To be fair, Dustin wasn’t “a random person”. He was like his friend. His young, small friend. Annoying shitheaded friend. And Dustin saying that Steve would rather spend time with anyone else wasn’t true. After everything that’s happened, Dustin might possibly be his favorite person in Hawkins.

“Damn Steve this shit was good. When’d you learn to cook so well?” Dustin looked up at him with this respect in his eyes, it almost made Steve smile, but he held it back.

“I have a lot of time I guess.” Steve instantly regretted saying this, because it made him seem like a loser who had too much free time, but Dustin didn’t seem to care all that much. “It’s not even that good today. Have you just never had an omelette before?”

Dustin got quiet. He looked like he was thinking. Steve realized he was trying to remember if he’d had an omelette before. “Don’t you eat breakfast buddy?” Steve asked, a little surprised. Dustin shook his head.

“Mom goes to work early and we don’t have cereal or any of that shit so most of the time I just don’t eat breakfast. I have breakfast when I spend the night at Mike’s or Will’s or Lucas’, but other than those few times I don’t.” He looked up at the older boy, suddenly nervous. “Is that weird?”

Steve was surprised at how much Dustin cared about his opinion. “No, it’s not weird it’s just stupid. Breakfast is awesome.”

He didn’t quite remember how, but somehow from that morning, Steve started a tradition of going to Dustin’s house to make him breakfast every Saturday. He thought it would be easier than having Dustin bike all the way down to his house every morning when Steve could just drive to Dustin’s place. Every Saturday they would talk about shit and give shittier advice. While Steve knew it might be embarrassing to admit he enjoyed his Saturday mornings with a thirteen year old kid, it sort of made him proud. It made the nightmares stop coming at the very least, and it made Steve laugh. He hadn’t been doing that lately.

It never really stopped. Steve started doing more things with Dustin just for the sake of being there for him, with him. He didn’t do it to an extent that anyone else really noticed, or maybe they just didn’t care as much as Steve expected them to.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I've already started my exposition-for-the-story like chapter, but I'm adding this one too because I only had 6 of the seven remaining chapters mapped out so... be warned, it's going to start getting dark and kind of sad next chapter but first please enjoy some cuteness.

Steve had spent most of his life having to be a specific person and feeling like everyone would judge him, but Dustin never did. No one ever really did, save for high schoolers.

“Yeah, but high schoolers are assholes.”

“You’re literally going into high school soon. And I’m a high schooler!”

“Yeah, and we both know you’re an asshole.”

“What and you’re not you little dipshit?”

“Of course I am! I just made a statement generalizing all high schoolers as assholes, so I think I’m a shoe-in.”

Steve obviously didn’t share the emotional shit with the kid. Dustin probably knew anyway, it was unspoken. The two cared about each other. It may be the product of their situations, but there was no denying that the two needed each other. A lot. A hell of a lot.

So, neither were thrilled on one Saturday morning when Dustin was diving into some Eggos Steve lazily made and the older boy finally said what he had been avoiding.

“I’m probably going to have to go to college.”

Dustin kept eating, but looked up at Steve in acknowledgement, encouraging him to continue by reassuring him he was listening. It was tiny little facial expressions that Steve could read so flawlessly that made this even harder. He knew that kid.

Steve coughed, wait was he nervous? Well… yes. Of course. He didn’t know about college. Sure he’d applied with Nancy’s help but he didn’t know what to do! “I’m going to be honest, I don’t know what I’m doing with the rest of my life.”

Dustin nodded, betraying understanding that seemed very serious for a child. “I get it. It’s like you have a plan for your life and then it gets trampled by-”

“A demogorgon?”

“Basically.”

“Should I stay in Hawkins?” Steve surprised himself by asking Dustin this question, but he didn’t know who else to ask. His parents weren’t much help, it was awkward with Nancy now, and he didn’t have any other friends. True ones. It took him all of high school and a Billy Hargrove to teach him that showing off and being a dick didn’t help you in the long run.

Dustin looked up at Steve, but not holding the childish manner about him that he usually carried. Dustin liked to say everything as a joke, a nerdy reference, or anger. But this time he seemed rather stoic and thoughtful. “Well that’s up to you isn’t it?” He finally set down his fork. “I guess you have to ask yourself why you want to stay and why you want to leave.”

“Like a pros and cons list?”

“Sort of. But it doesn’t have to be a whole analytical study. Usually, there’s one big reason to stay or go in any situation. So you just have to figure out what it is for you, and if you want to listen to it.”

Steve thought of that for a while, and sat in pondering silence as Dustin did the dishes, letting Steve think. Of course he wanted Steve to stay in Hawkins! Steve was like this cool older brother. He’d always wanted a sibling, and Steve Harrington came the closest to it. He’d never admit it of course. If he did, Steve might stop coming over every Saturday to make breakfast or stop giving him rides. He wanted Steve to like him as much as he liked Steve, but he knew Steve would always see him as a kid. Because that’s what he was.

But when Dustin looped back around to pick up the last plate from the table, he saw Steve’s face. It was obvious that Steve did not want to leave Hawkins. That made Dustin very happy, but also sad knowing the fact that Steve didn’t want to want to stay. Steve probably was hoping he’d want to leave. So Dustin started brainstorming all week after Steve left. Somehow, he had to help make Steve’s inevitable decision seem like he was making the right one. If he didn’t, Steve would always tell himself he should have left while he had the chance, even if he hadn’t really wanted to.

Dustin didn’t spend much time with Will, Lucas, Max, or Mike that week. He stayed home, thinking. He really just wanted to help Steve make a good decision. Finally, he had an idea.

Saturday came, and Steve made omelettes. They were like the ones he made at his own house a month ago that started the pattern of making breakfast with Dustin. They ate while watching a movie, which was common. It was also common that at some point the two would start talking and neither would really be paying attention to the plot.

About twenty minutes in, Dustin finally says what he’d been thinking about all week.

“You know, if you decide to stay in Hawkins, you could always be Hopper’s deputy.” He left it there, a random thought that was pretending to be something he had only just thought of.

Steve wanted to argue as they so commonly do about things, especially when Dustin would make any nod toward Steve’s personal life, but he couldn’t. He was interrupted in his thoughts by thinking why not? Hawkins had its fair share of crazy weird things that could randomly happen, and it would be good to have more than one person on the force who knew about these deals. Hawkins was pretty quiet every other time too, allowing Steve to have optimal escape-from-the-scary-monsters time. Sometimes he would even stop fights from happening in the streets or he’d help someone start their car. In Hawkins, that’s basically the job of an officer when nothing stranger is happening. Just small, local, town maintenance. Keeping up laws. Steve was starting to really like the idea.

Hopper did too.

So Steve found Hopper beaming with pride the first time Steve tried on the uniform. Dustin was with them, as usual. But this time it was four of them, Steve, Dustin, Hopper, and El. Steve had never really known El but he still respected her and found the reunion she had the rest of the posse to be rather sweet.

Steve walked out with the uniform on. They were in Hopper’s office, and Dustin had been chatting with El while Hopper was scolding them both constantly about everything, but neither seemed to mind. It seemed to be the dynamic between the three, with Hopper always being grumpy and getting mad over stupid things. Steve thought the outfit looked… well cool was not the word. But it meant that this was really his job. He got to stay in Hawkins and more importantly, use his status to protect his kids. No, not his kids. Just kids. Annoying kids. Who he didn’t care about at all. Of course not. No. Absolutely not. Never in a hundred-

Okay maybe a little. Or a lot.

“What do you think?’ Steve said in a joking tone, spinning around and making El laugh. Hopper smiled. 

“You look like me when I was young and skinny.” He patted his belly. “Don’t worry, you’ll lose it someday Harrington. Your metabolism.”

Steve rolled his eyes in disbelief, but his eyes betrayed happiness anyway so he didn’t come off as a dick. “What about you two?” He aimed toward the children.

El smiled innocently. “It’s very… brown.”

Dustin nodded. “I concur. Brown.”

Hopper stared at them. “Hey you realize it’s the same as mine right?”

El shrugged admitting she did, and Dustin just gave a big toothy smile at the older man, warranting a laugh from both of the cops. Wow, Steve was a cop now. A deputy even. It hadn’t been hard to be promoted, Steve could kick ass and Hopper knew that. In fact when Steve brought it up to Hopper on the day the kid suggested it, Hopper was pleasantly surprised. It would be good to have the two highest ranking officers in the know about what happened and what happened with the lab. It made it easier because Hop could trust his deputy with things like those, so it lifted the weight of carrying it alone off of his shoulders. 

Hopper had to admit, he liked Steve. Sure, the first time he heard of the kid it was because he was underage drinking at a party. Jim had known the teachers at the school who would mention him, and his first impression of the wild haired teen was that he was out of control, and just another egotistical stuck up rich kid. But now, he was so much more than that.

It was the way he looked at the kids. It was the way Hopper did. Protection, and a ferocity that if anything attacked he would try to save them at all costs. But the best thing was the way Steve looked at Dustin. It was the way Hopper looked at El. With love and affection under the stern and stoic mask. Both men had just been victims of circumstance, but now no matter what happened they would protect that one kid from everything. It was obvious Steve had more of an older brother complex than a dad complex that Hopper had, but he saw the rage in Steve’s eyes every time Dustin was sad or angry. Harrington would do anything just to see Dustin smiling all the time. Hopper felt the same way about El. He would protect her. No matter what. Those two kids were both the most loved kids in Hawkins because they each had one person who would do anything for them. It just so happened that the two people that cared about them were narcissistic self-loathing assholes who couldn’t just admit that they loved them.

“Well, you look like a deputy to me.” Hopper smiled with pride. Steve smiled right back, and Dustin and El high fived each other and pulled one another into a hug.

It had been a good day. But like most good days, it signaled that it wasn’t going to be all easy from there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really glad that you guys liked the first chapter! I wasn't expecting much feedback considering I'm posting this at an awkward time, since ST2 hype has all but gone until ST3 but I will still post because I love this show!

**Author's Note:**

> So... first chapter? I'm excited so please comment if you enjoyed! I'd appreciate it greatly!


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